Door holding stand with spring actuated clamping means



R. SLINKARD March 8, 1955 DOOR HOLDING STAND WITH SPRING ACTUATED CLAMPING MEANS Filed May 17 1951 WIIIIIIHMHQWIIIIIIIYI.

RAYMOND SLINKARD INVENTOR. BY 410 2 W AZTOF/leys United States Patent DOOR HOLDING STAND WITH SPRING ACTUATED CLAMPING MEANS Raymond Slinkard, El Dorado, Kans. Application May 17, 1951, Serial No. 226,847

2 Claims. (Cl. 144-296) My invention relates to improvements in a door holder. A primary object of the invention is to provide a holding device into which the end or edge of a door may be thrust so that it will tightly hold the door in a fixed position yet it is unnecessary to tighten or adjust any clamps. Another object of my invention is to provide a door holder in which there is a fixed flange and a spaced reciprocable movable jaw that has an associated compression spring urging the movable jaw towards the fixed flange yet the jaw may be moved in an opposite direction against its associated compression spring when the end of a door is thrust intermediate the fixed flange and the jaw so as to tightly support the door.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door holder with a main frame having a planar front face and props which will hold it in an upright position and wherein the main frame has a first fixed forwardly extending flange on its front face with an outwardly curved lip, a second flange fixed to the front face in spaced relation and parallel to the first flange and a reciprocably movable jaw mounted on the second flange and having an outwardly curved lip opposite to the lip on the first flange, and a coil compression spring attached at one end to the second flange and at its other end to the movable jaw whereby to bias the reciprocable jaw toward the first fixed flange.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a main member for a door holder with a first and a second fixed spaced apart vertically extending flange with the second of the flanges having vertically extending spaced slots therethrough to receive vertically extending spaced guide members attached so as to extend transversely to a movable jaw and to slidably mount the jaw on the second such fixed flange and wherein a compression spring mounting box is provided on the second flange on the opposite side thereof to the movable jaw and a compression spring is so mounted that one end is housed in the spring box and the spring extends through an aperture in the second flange so that its other end is attached to the movable jaw.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples are given by way of illustration only and, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are not given by way of limitation, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference may be had to the drawings and description in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the door holder according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical elevation of the door holder shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view along the offset section line 3-3 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation along section line 44 in Figure 3.

Throughout the description and the figures of the drawing like reference numerals refer to similar parts.

My door holder is preferably made up of metal plate members which are welded together. A main frame is provided and it has a planar front face 10'. Attached to the front face 10 at the left-hand edge is a forwardly projecting first flange 11 having on its forward portion a forwardly and outwardly curved lip portion 11'.

A second flange 12 in spaced relation and parallel to the first flange 11 is also fixed to the front face 10 of the upright main frame 10.

Suitable downwardly and outwardly extending side props 13 and 14 are attached to the outer faces of the respective flanges 11 and 12 by hinges 15 which may be welded or otherwise attached to the flange faces and the ends of the props. Another prop 16 is attached by a hinge 15 to the rear face and upper end 10" on the main frame 10 and it extends downward and outward to provide a rigid support for the main frame member when a door is thrust thereagainst which will be hereinafter described. Each of the outer ends of the props 13, 14 and 16 are provided with flattened portions that are apertured as at 13' in prop 13 to receive hold down screws to secure the door holder to a floor or platform surface.

Another hold down element is a clip or angle member 17 secured to the lower edge of the rear face 10" of the main member 10. This clip also has an aperture 17' in its floor flange portion to receive a securing screw.

I will now describe my door clamping unit which comprises in general the first fixed flange 11 and a reciprocable movable spring pressed jaw generally indicated at 18. Another such unit 18' is mounted on the main frame 10 in vertical spaced relationship thereabove as best shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4 the door clamping unit will be described. The second fixed flange 12 is provided with two vertically extending spaced apart slots 19 and 20 which serve to respectively receive slidable jaw guide members 21 and 22. These guide members 21 and 22 are flat plate elements of a width just less than the vertical span of the slots 19 and 20 so that they have a nice but sliding fit therewith. Each of the guides are provided with lug portions as at 21 and 21" on guide member 21 which project at the outer end thereof beyond the confines of the slots 19 and 20. These lug portions limit the reciprocable movement of the guides toward the fixed flange 11.

In the assembly of the door clamping unit 18, the guides 21 and 22 are slid into the slots 19 and 20 respectively, then there is welded to the inner ends thereof a transversely extending plate 23 which is parallel to the fixed flange 11 and in spaced relation thereto. This plate 23 has a spring receiving lug 23' welded thereto which is in alignment with an aperture 33 formed also in the second fixed flange 12 intermediate the vertical slots 19 and 20 formed therein as described heretofore.

Fixed to the inner face 23" of plate 23 as by welding is a jaw 24 having a forwardly and outwardly extending to its transversely extending jaw guide members 21 and 22.

On the outer face of the second fixed flange 12 which is on the opposite side thereof to the reciprocable jaw 24, I attach a spring box generally indicated at 25. It is made up of two side plates 26 and 27. Plate 26 abuts the end of the main upright member 10 so as to lie in the plane thereof and is welded thereto as indicated at 26'. Side 27 spaced from side 26 and parallel thereto is welded to the second fixed flange 12 as at 27'. Each of the outer faces of the side plates 26 and 27 has welded thereto adjacent their outer ends lugs 28 which are apertured and threaded to receive a cover securing bolt or cap screw all of which will hereinafter be described.

The spring box 25 is further provided with a top 29 and a bottom 30, best shown in Figure 4, which are welded as at 29' and 30 to the second fixed flange 12. Completing the spring box structure is acover 31 which extends over the opening of the box and beyond the sides 26 and 27 where it is apertured to receive the securing cap screws 32 which are threadedly received in the threaded apertures of their corresponding adjacent lugs 28 on the sides of the box. Cover 31 has a spring receiving lug 31' welded to its inner face in alignment with the lug 23' on plate 23 and the spring receiving aperture 33 in flange 12.

A compression coil spring 34 is housed in the spring box 25 and has one end secured over the lug 31' while the other end is received by the spring receiving lug 23 on plate 23 to which jaw 24 is attached. This compression spring urges the slidable jaw 24 toward the first fixed flange 11.

In operation the end or edge of a door 35 is brought into engagement with the oppositely curved lip portion 11' on the first fixed flange 11 and the lip portion 24' on the reciprocable jaw 24 and it is thrust inwardly whereupon the movable jaw 24 slides toward the right compressing coil spring 34. The door end or edge is then held tightly between the fixed flange 11 and the movable jaw 24 and up against the front planar face 10' on the main upright member 10. The operation of the door clamping units 18 and 18 is automatic as by thrusting in the end or edge of the door 35, the reciprocable jaw 24 moves against the compression spring but still tightly grasps the door in a clamping position without tightening of screws, levers or otherwise manipulating devices.

My door holder provides a rugged clamping device by which a door may be held without the assistance of a helper. Further, the carpenter merely has to push the end or edge of the door into the clamping units and it automatically adjusts itself to the clamping action against the adjacent door end surfaces. The clamping is even and positive in action as the jaw member is spring biased and reciprocably movable.

The door holder according to my invention has been found to be easily assembled, rugged and easily operated I by merely inserting the end or edge of the door.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a door holder a main member adapted to be positioned in an upright position having a planar front face, prop means attached to said main member for holding the main member in its upright position, a first forwardly extending elongated flange fixed at its rear portion to and projecting transversely from a vertical edge of said front face of the main member and having a forwardly and outwardly curved lip portion along its front portion, a second forwardly extending elongated flange in spaced relation and parallel to said first flange and fixed at its rear portion to and projecting transversely from said front face of the main member, said second flange having spaced vertically extending slots and a spring receiving aperture therethrough, and a door clamping unit comprising a horizontally reciprocable jaw disposed between said first and second flanges and having a forwardly and outwardly curved lip portion in opposed relation to said curved lip on said first flange, spaced vertically extending guide members secured to one side of said jaw and adapted to be slidably mounted in said spaced vertical extending slots in the second flange, said guide members having lugs positioned on the outer ends thereof projecting beyond the vertical span of said vertical slots in the second flange whereby the reciprocable movement of said jaw towards said first flange is limited, said jaw having spring receiving means attached thereto on the same side thereof as said guide members, a spring box attached to the outer face on said second flange and having a removable cover plate attached thereto provided with spring receiving means, means for removably attaching said cover plate to said spring box, a compression coil spring extending through said spring receiving aperture in the second flange and having one end attached to said spring receiving means in said spring box and its other end attached to said spring receiving means on said reciprocable jaw, whereby a door end when inserted between said oppositely flaring curved lip portions of said reciprocable jaw and said first fixed flange, moves said jaw against said compression spring and is held in a tight position between said fixed flange, said main member front face and said movable jaw.

2. A door holder of the character described in claim 1 wherein said main member has mounted on its front face in vertical spaced relation at least two of said door clamping units.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 532,367 Fletcher Jan. 8, 1895 1,308,673 Henry July 1, 1919 1,518,709 Thomas Dec. 9, 1924 2,238,831 Steach Apr. 15, 1941 2,316,290 Schenbeck Apr. 13, 1943 2,55 82 Orchard et a1 May 22, 1951 

